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The short answer
An employer does not need a sponsor licence to hire someone on a Graduate visa: the visa itself lets the holder work in most jobs. You must still check their right to work online with a share code before they start. The visa lasts 2 years if the graduate applied on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months if they apply from 1 January 2027, and 3 years after a PhD. It cannot be extended.
Each year many Nigerian students finish degrees at UK universities, and the Graduate route lets them stay and work afterwards. For a small UK employer, especially one serving Nigerian customers or trading with Nigeria, they can be strong hires. The route is simpler for employers than sponsorship, but it has a fixed end date that you should plan around from the first interview.
No sponsor licence needed
GOV.UK says Graduate visa holders can work in most jobs, look for work and be self-employed. The permission belongs to the person, not to an employer, so you do not need a sponsor licence or a certificate of sponsorship to employ them. The main exclusion GOV.UK lists is working as a professional sportsperson.
Graduate visa holders cannot claim most benefits (public funds). That does not affect your duties as an employer: pay, holiday, pension auto-enrolment and other employment rights apply as for any employee.
How long the visa lasts
| Graduate's situation | Length of visa |
|---|---|
| Applied on or before 31 December 2026 | 2 years |
| Applies on or after 1 January 2027 | 18 months |
| Completed a PhD or other doctorate | 3 years |
GOV.UK says the Graduate visa cannot be extended. The exact expiry date is on the person's eVisa, and you will see it in the online right to work check. Write it into your HR records on day one.
The right to work check
GOV.UK says you must check that someone can work for you before you employ them. For a Graduate visa holder, who has an eVisa rather than a physical card, the check is online:
- Ask the candidate for a right to work share code from their UKVI account, and their date of birth.
- Use GOV.UK's online right to work service to view their permission.
- Check that the photo matches the person, and note any work restrictions.
- Keep a copy of the result, with the date you made the check.
- Because the permission is time-limited, check again before it expires.
GOV.UK warns that you could face a civil penalty if you employ an illegal worker without having carried out a correct check. A right to work share code is different from the code used for banks or landlords, so ask specifically for one for work.
Planning for the end date
When the Graduate visa ends, the employee needs another route to keep working for you. GOV.UK says Graduate visa holders may be able to switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa. For that, you would need a sponsor licence and to assign a certificate of sponsorship for an eligible job and salary.
A practical timeline (example)
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Offer stage | Record the visa expiry date; discuss whether sponsorship might be offered later |
| First week | Online right to work check completed and filed |
| About 9 to 12 months before expiry | Decide whether to sponsor; if so, apply for a sponsor licence |
| Before expiry | Assign a certificate of sponsorship and the employee applies to switch, or the employment ends |
Sponsor licence applications take time and add ongoing duties, so leave a margin. Our guide to getting a sponsor licence covers the process. If the graduate wants to start their own business instead, see starting a business on a Graduate visa.
What the graduate has already paid
It helps to understand the candidate's side. GOV.UK lists the Graduate visa application fee at £937, plus the immigration health surcharge of £1,035 a year (£2,070 for a 2-year visa, £1,152.50 for 18 months), paid by the graduate when they applied. A later switch to Skilled Worker brings new fees. Some employers offer to contribute to those costs as part of a retention package, which is a commercial decision for you.
Mistakes employers make
- Relying on an old student visa document or a physical BRP instead of an online check.
- Not recording the expiry date, then discovering it weeks before it passes.
- Assuming the visa can be extended. It cannot.
- Starting the sponsor licence process too late for the switch to happen before expiry.
- Asking only Graduate visa holders for extra documents, which can be discriminatory. Check every new starter the same way.
Setting them up on payroll
New starters need a National Insurance number for payroll. Many Graduate visa holders already have one from their student years; it may be shown in their UKVI account, as explained in finding your NI number on an eVisa. They can start work before it arrives if they have the right to work.
Where Pryme fits
Business accounts with Pryme include payroll tools and a Compliance agent that can prepare a reminder for each employee's visa expiry and follow-up check, for a person to act on. A Pryme Business Account holds GBP with UK account details. This page is general information, not immigration advice.
Questions people ask
Do I need a sponsor licence to employ someone on a Graduate visa?
No. The Graduate visa lets the holder work in most jobs without sponsorship. You still need to check their right to work before they start.
How long can a Graduate visa holder work for me?
Until the visa ends: 2 years if they applied on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months if they apply from 1 January 2027, or 3 years after a PhD. It cannot be extended.
How do I check a Graduate visa holder's right to work?
Ask for a right to work share code and their date of birth, use GOV.UK's online check, keep a dated record, and check again before the permission expires.
Can a Graduate visa holder switch to a Skilled Worker visa?
GOV.UK says they may be able to. The employer would need a sponsor licence and to assign a certificate of sponsorship.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Check a job applicant's right to work · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Apply for a National Insurance number · accessed Oct 2026
- Home Office: Public funds caseworker guidance · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.